India and Pakistan expel diplomats amid tensions
India and Pakistan trade expulsions of diplomatic staff amid growing tensions
NEW DELHI/ISLAMABAD (MNTV) – Diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan intensified as both nations expelled each other’s embassy staff.
India declared a visa assistant at the Pakistani High Commission persona non grata, accusing him of “activities not in keeping with his official status.”
Hours later, Pakistan responded by expelling an Indian High Commission staff member on similar charges.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced that the Pakistani official, identified as Rahim, had been instructed to leave the country within 24 hours.
The MEA also summoned Pakistan’s Chargé d’Affaires to issue a démarche, expressing its strong objections to the alleged misconduct.
In a press release, the MEA stated that the official was “engaging in activities not in keeping with his official status.”
Although the ministry did not specify the nature of those activities, such language typically implies suspicions of espionage or political interference.
The expulsion follows a series of actions taken by India after the Pahalgam attack last month in Indian-administered Kashmir, which New Delhi accuses Islamabad of backing. Islamabad denies the allegation and has called for an impartial probe into the attack.
Since then, 23 Pakistani officials, including the Defence Attaché, have been expelled.
Additionally, India has implemented visa restrictions and reduced the personnel strength of the Pakistani mission in New Delhi.
In a reciprocal move, Pakistan’s Foreign Office declared an Indian High Commission staff member persona non grata, accusing the member of “activities incompatible with their privileged status.”
The Indian official was similarly given 24 hours to depart, and Pakistan summoned India’s Chargé d’Affaires to convey its decision.
The diplomatic standoff has further strained relations, with backchannel diplomacy severely curtailed.
Observers caution that the risk of escalation remains high unless both sides adopt measures to de-escalate the situation.
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